At this point in the franchise, it’s no secret that Handsome Jack is widely considered to be the fan-favorite antagonist over any other big bad from the Borderlands games so far. Naturally, with the release date for Borderlands 4 only a couple of months away, now arriving on September 12, it remains to be seen how the upcoming Timekeeper villain will compare to the likes of Handsome Jack, as well as any of the other, less popular villains from the Borderlands franchise.
However, another upcoming antagonist in Borderlands 4 is already poised to steal the Timekeeper’s thunder in his own game, so the Timekeeper’s biggest competition could be a lot closer to home than Handsome Jack could ever be. Based on fans’ reactions to the latest behind-the-scenes trailer for Borderlands 4, the Ripper Queen already seems to be a fan favorite, more so than the Timekeeper.
Borderlands 4’s Lack of Hyperion Weapons Leaves Another Feature’s Status in Limbo
Borderlands 4 won't be featuring Hyperion as a major weapons dealer, leaving its connection to another of its core features unclear.
Handsome Jack May Not Be Borderlands 4’s Timekeeper’s Biggest Competition
After the first teaser gave a deeper dive into some of the new playable Vault Hunters, Borderlands 4’s latest behind-the-scenes teaser trailer has officially revealed the concept art and origin stories for some of the upcoming characters, including the main antagonists and potential allies. Among the many main characters that players can encounter on the planet Kairos in Borderlands 4, one of the new villains arguably seems like they could dethrone Handsome Jack as the new fan-favorite of the franchise, or if not, still be the star of the show in Borderlands 4’s main story. And surprisingly, it’s not Borderlands 4’s main villain, the Timekeeper.
Borderlands 4’s New ‘Welcome to Kairos’ BTS Trailer Puts the Spotlight on Kairos’ New Villains and Character Factions
As the Timekeeper’s underlings, characters like Idolator Sol and Levain could end up being memorable boss fights in Borderlands 4, but their impression on the franchise’s community might ultimately fade before it ever takes off the way Handsome Jack did over the course of Borderlands 2 and Borderlands The Pre-Sequel. Even if they do survive the events of Borderlands 4, these villains would likely be doomed to be overshadowed by the game's main villain. So, if any villains in Borderlands 4 stand a chance at dethroning Handsome Jack as the new fan-favorite of the franchise, it’s arguably between the Timekeeper and the Ripper Queen.
Borderlands 4’s Ripper Queen’s Moral Complexity Could Be Her Key to Walking in Handsome Jack’s Shoes
With the Timekeeper, this character is said to be a dreadful, overarching villain for this new chapter in the Borderlands franchise’s ongoing story, presumably portrayed as a pure antagonist. Whereas, with the Ripper Queen, there’s already plenty of speculation among fans that this antagonist may not be as one-sided as the Timekeeper, with some theories predicting that the Ripper Queen may turn out to be an unexpected ally at some point in Borderlands 4. After Handsome Jack walked a similar path as a complex character, ranging from a sympathetic ally to a vengeance-driven villain, it already seems like Borderlands 4’s Ripper Queen could follow in Handsome Jack’s footsteps to become the new fan-favorite of the franchise, ultimately overshadowing the Timekeeper in his own game.
These overall strong positive reactions and creative fan theories regarding the Ripper Queen so far are quite notable, especially considering that fans weren’t shy about expressing their lack of enthusiasm regarding the next generations of playable Vault Hunters in Borderlands 4 when these characters were first revealed. So, while the Timekeeper was inevitably going to have some tough competition to live up to after Handsome Jack’s beloved legacy, the Ripper Queen might prove to be an even tougher opponent to compete with.
Borderlands 4
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 82 /100 Critics Rec: 88%
- Released
- September 12, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Gearbox Software
- Publisher(s)
- 2K
